Mercedes-Benz Vans at the IAA Commercial Vehicles 2016.

28.09.2016

ANNOVER - With the Vision Van Mercedes-Benz Vans shows a revolutionary van study for the urban environment at the IAA Commercial Vehicles 2016. As an integrated system, the vehicle incorporates a number of innovative technologies for last-mile delivery operations and thus sets the standard of performance requirements and solutions for future generations of vans.Van as an integrated concept in a completely digitally connected supply chain on the last mile of the delivery processThe Vision Van evolved as part of the strategic future initiative adVANce. With adVANce, Mercedes-Benz Vans is developing from a mere van manufacturer into a supplier of holistic system solutions. The company is underscoring this strategy with the Vision Van as a visible manifestation of its innovative strength. The Vision Van boasts an unprecedented level of connectivity of information and technologies. It is the first van worldwide to serve as an integrated concept for a completely digitally connected process chain from the goods distribution depot to the consignee.The Vision Van features a fully automated cargo space, integrated drones for autonomous air deliveries and a state-of-the-art joystick control. Powered by a 75 kW electric drive system with a range of up to 270 km, deliveries with the Vision Van are locally emission-free. The electric drive system additionally guarantees that it will remain possible to operate the Vision Van in inner-city zones where the introduction of bans on vehicles with internal combustion engines is planned. The virtually silent electric drive system facilitates late deliveries in residential areas for the purposes of same-day delivery."With the Vision Van we are presenting the intelligent, clean and fully interconnected van of the future", says Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans. "The Vision Van integrates many concrete concepts for future delivery operations in the urban environment, such as a fully automatic cargo space, autonomously flying delivery drones and innovative communication features."Cloud-based control software meets optimum cargo hardware.The Vision Van merges numerous innovative technologies and serves as the central, intelligent element in a fully connected delivery chain. Innovative algorithms control order picking, the loading of packages, the fully automated cargo space management, route planning for the vehicle and the delivery drones. They also calculate ideal delivery routes for the package deliverer. Automatic order picking takes place at the logistics centre, for example, and consignments are loaded into special racking systems. Driverless handling vehicles load the racks by way of an automated one-shot loading process.